The Graduate School Experimental Plant Sciences (EPS)
EPS Graduate Programme 2023
Are you a talented MSc student interested in pursuing a scientific career in the plant sciences? You can now apply to the 2023 EPS Graduate Programme. In this programme, we offer you the opportunity to write your own PhD proposal. You can participate in the programme as part of your MSc programme.
NB! The previous version of the EPS graduate programme prepared you for the TKI call ‘Graduate Programme Green Top Sectors’. It is not yet known whether there will be a call in 2023. Irrespective of the opportunity to apply to a call, the programme is an opportunity to learn how to write a PhD proposal and a valuable addition to your MSc programme.
The EPS Graduate Programme will allow you to choose a research group and a supervisor with whom you prepare a PhD proposal. You will write your proposal in a writing course (the Research Master Cluster, 12 ECTS). If you are not registered in Wageningen as an MSc student, you will receive a certificate for this course with which you can transfer the ECTS to your grade list. The course will be taught in Wageningen, travel costs will be reimbursed by the graduate school.
A maximum of 12-14 MSc students can participate in the EPS graduate programme. Please find information below on:
- How to enter the EPS Graduate Programme;
- The educational elements in the EPS Graduate Programme;
- The time schedule.
How to enter the EPS Graduate Programme
If you would like to participate in the EPS Graduate Programme, please send your application to the executive secretary of EPS, Ingrid Vleghels (ingrid.vleghels@wur.nl) and include in your application:
- A CV with BSc and MSc grades
- A recommendation letter from a university staff member (of one of the in EPS participating universities);
- A letter with your motivation.
Deadline for application: 19 January 2023
Selection will be based on your BSc & MSc grades, references and motivation. An interview will be part of the selection procedure.
Participation is possible if:
- You are an MSc student at one of the in EPS participating universities (WU, UU, UvA, LU, RU, VU and RUG), an Erasmus student or exchange student;
- You expect to graduate early 2024 at the latest.
The educational elements in the EPS Graduate Programme
If you are accepted to the programme, you will continue your MSc programme at your university. In addition, you will participate in the educational elements of the EPS Graduate Programme as part of the optional courses or free choice in your MSc programme.
You will follow the Research Master Cluster (12 ECTS) writing course as part of the EPS graduate programme. The following elements are part of this subject:
- Participation in the annual EPS scientific meeting in Lunteren April 17 and 18, 2023.
- EPS will organise a visit to a plant breeding company;
- The writing course: In this subject you will work on general skills such as Argumentation and Scientific Writing. All students will write a PhD proposal coached by an EPS staff member: your proposed PhD supervisor. Before the start of the course you will be asked to choose a research group and a coach to write your PhD proposal with. This does not have to be the staff member who wrote your recommendation letter. The cursory elements need to be taken at Wageningen University.
Time schedule
- Application deadline EPS: 19 January 2023;
- Interview selection: 2 February 2023;
- Selection between 2 February and 13 February 2023;
- EPS meeting Lunteren: 17 & 18 April 2023;
- EPS Research Master Cluster: May 15 – July 7, 2023;
- Deadline application: no deadline yet